Scoop

Based on the photo... there's only a couple in that group that I would consider Bennington type... Most of them look to me like fancy colored clay.... The difference?? Bennington's have a thick heavy stoneware glaze that shows thin and thick areas and has "eyes" from where marbles touched, or sat in the firing... Fancy colored clays have a thin sort of glaze that almost looks "waxy." Yes, they may also show thinner and thicker areas of color and some have "eyes." But.... But.... Heck, I can't explain it!! They're just different!!!! Different clay, different glaze... LOL PS... Also, I think, if broken open, a Bennington type will have a very white porcelain type of clay base... The colored clays have a sandy brown, less "hard" clay...

Some friends of my daughter's and myself have been getting together for "group china painting" gatherings... It's fun, laid back and gives us all a chance to catch up... I've been experimenting with marble designs... My first attempt was a Popeye..... ROFL... I found that "Whispy White" and "Clear" are REALLY tough to translate onto china!!! (Duh!!) So, I decided to go back to basic... Using small Christmas ornament blanks, I've made 4 copies of Bill Sweet's Rose Scenic, from page 23 of Marble Mania.... Since Nadine MacDonald was the first to try and imitate that marble (To my knowledge) When I saw her at the NE show last October, I gave her my first one.... She looked at it and said.... "Yeah, you found the same problem I always had... The lines are a bitch!!!" That has always been my strongest criteria for old vs. new.... I always hesitated to say it online, for fear it would just tell the copiers where to focus. But, it seems the serious ones have gotten the idea and are working on mastering it... It's a lot tougher than it looks... Yes, there are ways (we don't need to help anyone by being detailed...) But, on such a small surface, it takes some dedication (Far more than I want to go through in a china painting studio with a bunch of friends!!!) I can see both points on that last one... I'm not sure that design "frequency" is a very solid criteria for determination... There's a lot of "One of a Kind" types of chinas (Like the Rose, to my knowledge) The lines are close... But also, just slightly awkward enough to raise question.... Lloyd's point is very good... getting those perfect little teardrop leaves is not an easy trick... I get the feeling it's something that comes with doing it over and over every single day for many days... Just the right amount of paint, just the right amount of pressure and just the right amount of speed, to nail it every time... One slip and it's a blob!!! Tough call.... But, if it is new, I think I could learn to forgive it!!! It's beautiful!! LOL My next shot is a green & black Pennsylvania Dutch style... I'm thinking of doing 8-10 different designs and making a mobile.... Just for fun!!

If the buyer bid because of the name...... Well, shame on them!! :Sad_headshake_tweetz: The pictures are certainly clear enough... One might think the buyer should know what they're looking at. OTOH... Even as a common marble, it has pretty cool lines. When we think of what people will pay for a common Jabo that just happens to have very cool markings.... Well??? Go figure!!! LOL

Cool!!! I just happened upon the youtube of this show and posted a link.... Here it is again.....

This might be "Old News," but I don't think I've ever seen it before.... It's worth a second look anyway....

Whoa.... Hold on a second..... What sort of dump site??? Is it a glass manufacture dump site? Or just an old general use site?? Remember... Europeans have a rich past in the occupations and / or trade businesses of Eastern countries... Full families often spent several years living in foreign countries, or moved entirely... Finding European toys in an Eastern dump site only tells us that they were there. NOT that they originated from there.... Now, if the site is a known area of glass production, that could be a breakthrough... There was a very well known history of paperweght production in China. This can be found in paperweight archives... It was during the 1930's and included reproductions of several high-end weight styles... It was also the origin of the "birdcage" marbles... So, the blending of this paperweight production and some marble production has a little bit of known history... But, a lot more needs to be learned before making any serious conclusions....

I'll play!!! Hey Mary Cooley, what is that cool little car in your avatar??

Deep exhale!!!!! LOL This is great news!!! Not only because we REALLY don't want anything to happen to Weldon... But... It looks as if he may make a recovery that is so much better than where he was at!!! How Cool is that??? I'm so relieved for you both!!

Awww C'mon Weldon... Don't be scarin' us like this, Man!!!! :Sad_headshake_tweetz: Edna... Hang in there.... If you feel warm fuzzies, you know it's cyber hugs!!! We're with you....

Whoa!! That's cool!!! LOL

I've always heard that placement is important.... And, I guess, a well centered figure would be more desirable than one that's not... But, I always felt the detail, clarity and marble condition was more important... In this case size is a factor, too.... So, size is great, clarity and detail are good, condition is OK and placement looks a little off... If I had to pick a fault, I guess that would be it.... The real problem getting the answer your looking for is.... Sulphide sales seem to be all over the place... Heck, marble sales are all over the place!!! Taking into consideration, the Leighton style that just sold for $1800+..... But sulphides have been totally unpredictable for a while now.... Here's 2 examples that kinda boggle my mind.... An Eagle, with the reserve unmet at over $1500!!! Yes, it's an extraordinary figure in fantastic condition.... I wonder what the reserve was.... OTOH.... A coin is a very rare and desirable figure!! I'm not really into sulphides, but I've had several.... If I'd have thought I could buy this marble for that money, I'd be game..... Based on the other completed auctions on ebay... I'd think something like $200 - 250?? With the basic low consideration being it's condition (Everything over that seems to be REALLY clean...) There was a completed ebay auction that looks like a very similar figure with better placement and condition that sold for $316... But I can't open the auction (#190282750125) to see what it's really like

I know I always say I'll try to get pics up, then never do.... This could be another incident... But, I will try to gather up my trannies and get pictures... I have a few with oxblood and others that appear to be the same glass and maker, without the ox.... Brings a whole new meaning to "Cool Marbles!!" . . . . . . . . . ......... OK...... I'm sorry...... LOL :closedeyes:

Back in the 70's, when I was in high school, I worked for a gift shop... Each year... I think it was in late summer, early fall to consider the "holiday market," there was a "Gift Show" in Boston.... This was set up in a similar manner as room sales at a marble show... Usually at a hotel... Each vendor had a room to display their products. Store buyers would go from room to room and place their orders... Later, a set of perminant buildings called "Trade Centers" opened for the same purpose in Burlington Mass (I remember because they were built on swampland and started to "sink"... 'Had to be removed... ) This site 200 Fifth Avenue looks like it could have been a similar sort of trade center for the toy business.... ??

Hmmmmmm..... A side by side with ridged plastic shelving.... Think how many marbles you could put IN it!!! Now they have 'em with glass doors!!!

Wow... All those that I pulled out of the 10¢ each buckets are starting to look better 'n better!!! LOL But, I don't think I've ever seen one in that size....

Geeeeez Bob!! It's hard to believe that your knocking out these cool photos without realizing what a great eye you have for design!! You have a lot more "artist" in you than you may believe!!! :Cool_049: I really like this type of Ace, too... I've been watching Charles' auctions and I really liked the "9 pack" box... But, I didn't like the marbles that he offered with them in his auctions... I asked if he'd put a box together with a lot less yellow and he did a great job!! I got one that has an "S" pattern in it, similar to Steph's avatar... ('sorry it's so dark... 'Not much sun here, today!!) I've noticed that some of the other types from this run also seem to have reoccurring "S" patterns... I haven't noticed them in the other runs... Could it be because these are just so distinct in the transparent glass?? Or, was there something unique about this run that created that pattern?? I wanted the box because I liked the design and the run was done by some people that I'm proud to represent the efforts of, in my collection... I figured 9 marbles in a presentation box wasn't a bad deal at $29.95... Thanks Charles!!!! Here's a link to the auctions for The2cees. He has a few other types of boxes, too!!

It's an interesting thing to call the first marble "Beautiful." I can understand M!b$ comment... If it wasn't for the fact that it is what it is.... well.... It really just isn't that spectacular. But, once you've been bitten by the love for this type of marble, that one sticks out as an amazing eye-popper!!! I've been fascinated with these since long before I'd ever heard of Leightons... Dredging through buckets of 10¢ marbles, I always thought of these as finding a hidden, secret gem!!! The ones no one noticed were so different from the others!! They may not have all the funk and flash of that incredible clown... But, as a rare and unique marble, it's a killer!!!

A showroom in NY in 1938, would likely have been at the World's Fair??

Yup!! We're only a couple of miles from the Mass border... We did have a lot of wind. But, it sure was nice being able to get the ice off the deck and unblock the ice dams in the rain gutters!!! LOL

I think I got a much better deal by buying from someone here, than I've seen on ebay... I don't know what that one sold for on ebay, but just by showing Smitty what I was interested in, he came up with a coupla good matches... I also bought a few of the other styles and I thought his prices were very reasonable.... So Bob, I think your probably very right!!! Mary... Jo's deal sounds even better!!!! ROFL

Wow!! Great size and condition!!!

ROFL.... It's NEVER a good thing to be behind Brian Bowden at a glass show!!!! :icon_lmao: Wally bought me one of Kevin's bracelets for Christmas a few years ago... I love it!!! Can't wait to see the octopus!!!! I'm so sorry I was too late sending the GA collab marble....

Wow!!! How cool!!! And I bet there's folks who would believe that was only a coincidence!!! Jo, do you know the story behind the 29.95?? When Buddy was at New Philly, he kept watching what he *thought* was a sign with a digital thermometer... At some point, he mentioned that it felt colder than 30º.... The reply was "Well, hell yeah!! It's only like 5º!!!" Turns out, the sign was a room rate!!! :icon_lmao:

I've gotta get away from the computer and get outside!!! It's in the high forties and by late afternoon, the ice might be off the swimming pool!!! LOL

OK... I know there's been a TON of talk about the new Jabo runs... For some, not enough talk.. For others, WAYYYY toooo much!!! LOL I've been trying to keep kinda low key about them, because it has been a little controversial (That may be the understatement of the year!!! LOL) and for the most part, not too many have appealed to me... I love a few that I have picked up, but in general, there's a lot that's been a little "Ho Hum...." I also have a dread of "Created Market Collectibles." Most things with a "Certificate Of Authenticity" get my eyes rolling.... And, these runs are kinda verging on that sort of thing.... BUT........ When Bob posted his picture of this Eagle.... I really came to attention..... I asked about getting some. Smitty posted..... I contacted Smitty and bought some.... Mannnnnnn...... I've gotta say.... I was knocked out by what he sent... In the same sort of vein as the Champion Furnace marbles, these runs will have credibility in the future. Yes, there are MANY of these marbles hitting the market and not all of them will be worth a million. But, there are also many that are going to be seriously coveted and right now is the time to be very observant of what's floating around.... When you see something that really "sings," I think it's safe to say, they will be scooped up fast and hold, or increase in value.... When?? Who knows?? That's not really the important part of it.... What's important is... To be aware that there are marbles rolling out into the market that.... When you see them, you WILL want them..... They are beautiful and they will become tough to get... At least for a reasonable cost. In the past 40 years, I've had many occasions to look back on and say, "If I'd only known THEN, what I know now!!" There's also been times when I've jumped into something too deeply and regretted it... There's people who are pushing these marbles to the max and there are others who say it's all hype... It's not a black & white thing.... In credit to Galen, yes, we do need to be careful about getting swept up in a feeding frenzy over these. Having a Beanie Baby mentality is not wise...... But... OTOH.... I really feel that rejecting them as totally over hyped would also be a very bad mistake!!! These are history in the making and it's not going to last forever.... There definitely IS a cream to this crop!!! If you like "sparkly," get a hold of Smitty... He can hook you up at prices that make sense!!!